When it comes to daily Christian living or developing dynamic relationships, the under girding principle for success was given by Jesus in what we commonly know as the Sermon on the Mount.  His words were: “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12).  We generally paraphrase this verse and say: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

Like all that Jesus ever taught, this is a powerful statement and true to the core!  If all mankind would practice this teaching, we could end so many conflicts in life.  Nations could be at peace- - neighbors could get along- - families could be happy and the list just goes on and on!

Using this passage as a foundation, someone has shrewdly built upon it what they labeled the “Ten Commandments of Human Relationships.”  I am reproducing this well-circulated anonymous piece for our consideration.

1. Speak to people.  There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting.
2. Smile at people.  It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile.
3. Call people by name.  It is music to anyone’s ears to hear the sound of his or her name.
4. Be friendly and helpful.
5. Be cordial.  Speak and act as if everything you do is genuinely a pleasure.  If it isn’t, learn to make it so.
6. Be genuinely interested in people.  You can like almost anyone, if you try.
7. Be generous with praise, cautious with criticism.
8. Be considerate of the feelings of others.  There are usually three sides to a controversy - yours, the other fellow’s, and the correct one.
9. Be alert to serve.  What counts most in life is what you do for others.
10. Live with a good sense of humor, a generous dose of patience, and a dash of humility appropriate to being human.

We would all do well to measure our lives using the “golden rule” of the Bible.